2023 Jubilee Liturgy: The Unsettling Realm of God

GATHERING

ENTRANCE

REFLECTION

Jesus takes the Resistance beyond prophecy, beyond songs of hope and lamentation, beyond satire and mockery, and beyond apocalyptic visions to declare the inauguration of a new kingdom. With his birth, teachings, death, and resurrection, Jesus has started a revolution. It just doesn’t look the way anyone expects.

Rachel Held Evans, Inspired, p. 140

LIGHTING THE ALTAR CANDLE

CALL TO WORSHIP                        

Leader:   Come and see

the revolutionary realm

of God’s goodness.

People:   The realm of God is filled

with surprising delights.

Leader:   Come and join

the unexpected life of the Spirit.

People:   The realm of God flows

in us, around us, and through us.

Leader:   Come, follow Jesus

into the eternal realm of God.

People:   We are following Jesus

to become what we already are:

the holy, risen Body of Christ,

filling the world with grace and love.

OPENING PRAYER

HYMN

WORD FOR THE CHILDREN

SILENCE

PRAYERS

CONFESSION

Leader:      Holy God, you call us to live
in a revolutionary realm.

People:            We are used to the life we have,

and look for ways to keep it

in the face of chaos.

Leader:            Living Christ, we want to join you on the Way.

People:            We struggle to take care of those we love,

                                    and don’t want to give much away.

Leader:            Jesus’ revolutionary life and death and resurrection

points to a path of hope we do not understand.

All:                               We struggle to keep the faith in these unsettling times.

INDIVIDUAL PRAYERS OF CONFESSION

ASSURANCE

Leader:            God loves us unconditionally,

                                    forgiving all our fears and failures,

                                    showing us new ways to live and love

in these chaotic times.

People:            Amen.

THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE

INTERCESSION AND PETITION

COMMITMENT

All:                               O Holy One, we come today

to claim our relationship with you.

We pray for the commitment to grow together,

sharing the gifts you give us with others

here and in the wider world.

Forgive us for the hurt we have inflicted

and help us forgive those who have hurt us.

Give us strength and discipline

to nurture our relationship with you;

to care for every part of your creation;

to foster justice and be in solidarity with those in need;

to work to end all war, and violence, and discord;

and to respond joyfully when you call,

freely giving our selves as you have shown the way.

We open our hearts to you and your creation

in the name of Jesus, who is the Christ. Amen.

HYMN

THE WORD

SCRIPTURE

SERMON

SILENT REFLECTION

OFFERING

Whether you are here in person or attending on Zoom, offerings may be made by sending a check to the church or through PayPal by clicking on the Donate button on the Seekers website or at PayPal.Me/SeekersChurch. Those in the sanctuary are welcome to place their offerings in the plate on the altar.

COMMUNION

PREPARATION

Leader 1:         This is the table of the heavenly feast,

the joyful celebration of the people of God.

Leader 2:         We gather now as one body, joined around the table.

united in Christ’s spirit, broken and whole all at once.

All:             Nourished and hungry, loved and loving,

sinner and forgiven, we make one circle

of knowing, believing, rejoicing, being,

as God lights and rests among us.

GREAT THANKSGIVING     

Leader 1:   Holy God of the unexpected,
we give thanks for your deep caring
for each of us.

People:      We give you thanks for Jesus the Christ,

who showed us how to trust his ways of living,
even when they led him to the cross.

Leader 2:         We give you thanks for your Holy Breath of Life,

supporting each of us as we strive to follow Jesus.

All:                               We give you thanks for your Holy Church,

where we share and learn and care for one another.

BLESSING THE ELEMENTS

Leader 1:         Christ invites everyone to eat the bread of life,

to drink the cup of the new covenant.

Leader 2:         Jesus said, I am the bread of life.

You who come to me shall never hunger;

you who believe in me shall never thirst.

Leader 1:  On the night he gave himself up, Jesus took bread,

and after giving thanks to God, broke it and said,

This is my body,

broken for the healing of the world.

Whenever you eat it, do so remembering me.

Leader 2:         After supper, Jesus took the cup and said,

This is the cup of the new covenant,

poured out for you and for all.

Whenever you drink it, do so remembering me.

All:                               O Holy One, send down your Spirit

that these gifts of grain and grape,

and work of human hands

may be for us the body and blood of Christ.

Unite us with Christ forever

and bring us with the whole creation

to your eternal realm.

SHARE THE ELEMENTS

As a sign of gathering in spirit while scattered, you may want to lift your bread and cup toward your camera.

Leader 1:         The body of Christ, broken for all of us.

Feed on Christ in your hearts with thanksgiving.

Leader 2:         The cup of the new covenant, poured out for the healing of the world.

Drink deeply of it.

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING AND DEDICATION

All:             God of abundance and mercy,                                                                                       

we give joyful thanks

for your eternal love and healing presence

in our celebration of bread and cup.

Bless this Body of Christ

that we may attend faithfully to our call to be your servants,

with each other and throughout the world. Amen.

SHARED REFLECTIONS

ANNOUNCEMENTS

HYMN

BENEDICTION

Leader:      Let us follow Jesus in the revolution he started,
not looking for it to be anything we expect,
but working as we are called
to bring about the realm of God in our time.

And let us greet each other

and everyone we meet

with grace and peace.

People:            Amen.